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She opened a box of Disney ornaments. “If I had a needle and some strong thread we could make popcorn garlands.”
Ace shook his head. “I’d eat them before you got them on the tree.” He picked up Winnie the Pooh holding a wreath before using a hook to hang it on a branch. “You’re a Disney fan.”
“Yep.” She found Daisy Duck with a candy cane. “I’ve had these since I was a kid.”
“I had Buzz Lightyear and Woody ornaments, as well as the rest of the gang.” Ace selected Goofy carrying Santa’s bag full of toys. “My favorite, of course, was Woody since he’s a cowboy. I also liked Rex and Hamm a lot. I think Mom still has them.”
Charlee grinned at Ace. “I can picture you with a Woody doll.”
He looked horrified. “I didn’t have dolls.” He cleared his throat. “He may have been soft and doll-like, but hewasn’ta doll.”
Charlee laughed. “Uh-huh.”
“Really.”
“Uh-huh.”
When the boxes of Disney ornaments were on the tree, they started hanging shiny glass balls in different colors.
Charlee paused and put her hands on her hips. “Eggnog?”
“My taste buds will love you forever.” He winked. “As long as it has whiskey in it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Be right back.”
Charlee retrieved two of the Christmas glasses she had tucked away in a cabinet in the kitchen. After she poured two glasses of eggnog and added a shot of whiskey to each, she carried them to the living room. She handed Ace a drink with a Christmas tree on the glass.
“A toast.” She raised her glass with Santa’s sleigh on it. “To being snowed in with a good friend.” Okay, so she was grasping at straws here, still trying to deny the attraction that was heading someplace she hoped she wouldn’t regret, if she let it get that far.
Ace flashed a grin as he clinked glasses with her, then his eyes went soft and he almost looked serious. “And to Christmas with someone you care about.”
Heat rose to the roots of her hair and she clinked her glass with his without responding. She took a drink and felt the warmth of the liquor rolling down her throat to her belly. She rarely drank when she was away from the cabin, but she sure enjoyed her Maker’s Mark when she was here.
And right now she enjoyed Ace’s company even more.
“Do you have any garlands or tinsel?” Ace stepped back from the tree after they put on the last ornament.
“Garlands.” Charlee dug in one of the boxes they hadn’t emptied yet. She found a string of large frost-covered silver beads in the same box as some super good-smelling Christmas-scented jarred candles. “I have these and snowflake garlands.”
Ace took the beads from her. “Let’s put ‘em all on.”
She smiled at his boyish enthusiasm. He was so much fun in everything they had been doing ever since they arrived. They’d done so much in one day that she should be exhausted, but she wasn’t. She wanted more time with Ace. It was like she couldn’t get enough of him.
Together they put the last garland on the tree. He settled his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her to him. “It’s a great tree.”
She leaned into the comfort of having him holding her so close. “Yes. It’s beautiful.”
“I’ve got something for you.”
She tipped her head up to ask what, and she saw him holding something over his head.
“What’s that—” she started before heat swept her from head to toe. It was a piece of mistletoe that must have been tucked somewhere in her boxes. Her sister had brought it when their family had been at the cabin one Christmas.
“I think you know what this means.” He had a devilish gleam in his eyes.
She couldn’t think of a word to say as he lowered his mouth to hers. Slowly, so slowly.
Too slow.
